The “Bread of Life Discourse” is a beautiful yet challenging reflection on the meaning of the Eucharist and our relationship with Jesus Christ. We enter into the second week of this thought-provoking presentation by Jesus and told to us by the Evangelist, St. John.

As a recap, last week the story opened with Jesus feeding the 5000+ with a few barley loaves and a couple of fish. The emphasis being Jesus’ desire to feed us and more than satisfying our hunger.
This week we hear that the people react to the multiplication and desire more. Jesus seizes the moment to draw them into a deeper relationship with him and go beyond physical hunger and physical satisfaction.

In this story, Jesus is leading us to discover a deeper truth. Jesus is the “source and summit” of human experience. He is the source of all we can be. He is also the summit of what we can attain through him which ultimately leads to eternal life.

The Church will pick up on this reality of Jesus and begin describing the Eucharist as the “source and summit” of our faith. The Eucharist gives us full access to the person of Jesus. Through it we are fully immersed in the reality of Christ not merely present but actually engaging us to become more like Him.

Jesus is the “Bread of Life.” He is the true “Bread that came down from heaven.” We grow ever closer to him as we prepare to receive this “Holy Bread,” and then partake of the very mystery of the Eucharist.

Fr Tom